I got this email today. Friends, Volunteers, and Supporters, This afternoon, we filed our final response to the Arkansas Supreme Court in our lawsuit against Secretary Thurston. You can read the response here .
Today’s filing was a summary of our position and a response to the Secretary’s inaccurate claims. We have demonstrated that AFLG met all statutory requirements and that the party at fault in this case is Secretary Thurston. Some new information: Yesterday, August 8th, Secretary Thurston notified the sponsors of Arkansans for Patient Access (the marijuana amendment) that their paperwork was submitted by the wrong person.
This is the same claim Thurston made against AFLG. Shockingly, Secretary Thurston explained that, despite having paperwork identical to ours, their petition is not disqualified. As you can imagine, we are indignant.
When identical paperwork is treated differently based on the issue at hand, it’s not just bias — it’s an abuse of power. We now have blatant, indisputable evidence that Thurston targeted our petition and unfairly disqualified us from the democratic process. Here is our official statement: AFLG’s response today to the Attorney General’s brief, which was filed last week, can be summed up quite succinctly: the facts and law are on our side.
What’s more, yesterday, the Secretary of State told our counterparts at Arkansans for Patient Access that their identical paperwork “errors” are not disqualifying. It is crystal clear that Secretary Thurston’s concern is not about procedure but the substance of the initiative. He is determined to keep the initiative off the ballot, regardless of the facts or law.
His rejection of the initiative to advance his personal and political agenda is antithetical to his duties as a public servant. We’re furious, and Arkansans should be, too. We expect to hear from the Supreme Court in the coming days, though the Court can rule at any time.
Regardless of the outcome, we are not giving up, tuning out, or going home. We’re here for the long haul, and we will not stop until Arkansas women see a full restoration of their rights. In solidarity, The AFLG Team You can join the email list at arliberty.
org. This will keep you abreast of the latest news from AFLG. Click Sign Up For Updates in the top menu.
Arkansas abortion amendment supporters call Secretary of State marijuana ruling proof of bias KARK reports. www.kark.
com/...
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – A group working to place a ballot question before voters is calling out what it sees as bias in a recent Secretary of State ruling. The supporter group Arkansans for Limited Government is pointing toward a Thursday letter by Secretary John Thurston to a group gathering signatures for a medical marijuana ballot question.
In that letter, Thurston states that the group made errors in its original signature submission paperwork, and further signature submissions will be checked to ensure the paperwork is in place. ..
. The marijuana group, Arkansans for Patient Access (AFPA) was given additional time after the July 5 deadline to gather signatures under what is called a “cure” period for ballot approval. The signatures submitted by Arkansans for Limited Government (AFLG) on July 5 were rejected by Thurston’s office on July 10 because they did not include the required paperwork.
The office did not count the signatures due to this lack, meaning the group would not get its ballot question before voters. ..
. If AFLG prevails in court, voters in November will have an opportunity to make access to abortion part of the Arkansas constitution. Click the link above to read the whole article.
Arkansas state officials ask Supreme Court to 'throw out case' in briefing on abortion amendment lawsuit From THV11 www.thv11.com/.
.. LITTLE ROCK, Ark.
— Arkansas state officials filed a briefing with the Supreme Court on Friday as justices prepare to look at a lawsuit over a proposed amendment to the state's abortion law. This comes in the midst of an ongoing lawsuit, which was filed by Arkansans for Limited Government (AFLG) who initially filed a proposed abortion amendment. In the lawsuit, the group alleged that Secretary of State John Thurston "unlawfully" rejected their proposal for the upcoming November ballot.
...
In the briefing filed by state officials, they insist that the Supreme Court throw out the case, stating that the court doesn't have jurisdiction over the proposed ballot petition. Additionally, state officials claim that Secretary of State John Thurston followed proper protocol when dismissing the proposed abortion amendment last month. In my opinion telling the Arkansas Supreme Court they don’t have jurisdiction is the wrong move.
Arkansas law clearly states that the Supreme Court and only the Supreme Court has jurisdiction over ballot referenda. If not them, who? Action! Now it’s a waiting game. The Arkansas Supreme Court is fully briefed.
They know the election schedule so I expect them to rule quickly. They know that Secretary Of State Thurston will wiggle out of putting the amendment on the ballot so I hope they rule decisively. Join the email list at arliberty.
org. This will keep you abreast of the latest news from AFLG. And donate Donation page here, arliberty.
org/ ...
Merch page here, shop.arliberty.org Even though they won their lawsuit in Montana there’s still a fight ahead to get the amendment on the ballot.
You didn’t think the Republicans were going to quit their voter nullification just because a judge told them to? (rhetorical question) Donate to the Montana effort. mtreprorights.org Rec this diary for exposure.
I’m following this story and posting every day there’s news. If you live in Arkansas and you haven’t registered to vote please do that now. If you don’t know how to register go to the AFLG website at arliberty.
org . They will help you get registered to vote. We will need you to vote on the amendment after the signatures are counted and it gets on the ballot.
(Speaking optimistically) Here’s a good link for voter registration nationwide. If you aren’t registered register now. If you think you’re registered, check.
Don’t wait until election day to find out you’ve been purged. www.vote.
org Please post your news on this national issue in the comments. Please add more action links and strategies in the comments. There’s a reason why Republicans are doing this.
If the amendments are put on the ballot they will pass. Republicans know this but they don’t care about voter’s rights any more than they care about abortion rights or women’s rights. Thanks.
